Apparatus for filling cushions and like articles



June 1, 1943. R. w. STAVELY I 2,320,671

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CUSHIONS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed May 23, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

BY t W Stavely M (WM LAzz ATTORNEYS.

June 1, 1943. w STAVELY 2,320,671

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CUSHIONS AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed May 23, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- BY ROBERT W STAVELY M WM ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 1, 1943 APPARATUS FOR FILLING CUSHION S AND LIKE ARTICLES Robert W. Stavely, Cleveland Heights, ()hio Application May 23, 1941, Serial No. 394,825

2 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in filling cushions with feathers, down, and other materials which, on account of their light weight and finely divided condition, are liable to escape into the room in which the filling operation is performed, thereby to produce irritation of the eyes and respiratory organs of the parties in the vicinity where the filling operation is conducted, as well as to create a dangerous fire hazard which necessitates the adoption of expensive preventive measures.

It is the general purpose and object of my invention to provide an apparatus whereby the escape of the materials used in filling cushions and like objects will be eliminated and also whereby the time consumed in the filling operation may be greately reduced as compared with that required where other apparatus for like purposes are employed and with whichI am familiar.

' I accomplish the foregoing objects in and through the construction and arrangement of parts shown in the drawings forming part hereof wherein Fig. 1 represents an elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 1, the filling bag, cushion and sleeve being omitted; and Fig. 3 an enlarged detail taken on the line-33 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the sleeve, filling bag and part of the cushion case.

Describing by reference characters the various parts illustrated herein, I 9 denotes a casing, preferably of metal, and generally T-shaped. I I denotes a vertical supporting member, the lower end of which is formed into a yoke, the opposite arms I I of which are shown as secured to opposite sides of the vertical branch II! of the casing, as by bolts II The lower ends of the arms are connected by an integral brace II and secured to the central portion of the said brace, as by welding or brazing, is the upper arm or branch I 2 of a U-shaped bracket, the said arm being connected by a vertical branch I2 with a lower branch I2 The end of the arm or branch I2 which is remote from the connecting portion I2 is bent upwardly, as shown at I2 thereby to engage the bottom of the casing Ill. The upper arm or branch I2 cooperates with a screw clamp I3 to secure the casing I 9 and the supporting member to a table or other support It. The said clamp comprises a stem I3 which is threaded through thelower arm or branch I2, being provided at its upper end with a bearing plate I3 adapted to be brought into engagement with the lower surface of a support I4, the lower end of they clamp being provided with an operating handle I39 I5 denotes an arm which is provided with a sleeve I5 whereby it is slidably mounted upon the vertical supporting member II, the width of the opening in the sleeve being slightly greater than the width of the member II whereby the arm I5 may remain in any position to which it may be adjusted upon the member I I by the slight tilting action imparted to said arm by the container for the filling material supported thereby.

I6 denotes the bag or container for. the material employed in filling the cases of cushions and the like. The seam closing the bottom of the container is ripped a sufficient distance to provide an opening which is fitted snugly about the flange at the top of the vertical branch of the casing I0 and the bag or container itself is suspended from the arm I5 byany suitable support, a spring clip I5 having its upper end secured to the arm being here shown as employed for this purpose. v I

I! denotes the case of the cushion or similar article which is to be filled from material contained in the bag or receptacle I6. This 'case is of the usual construction, being provided with one or more longitudinal partitions I'I which tend to prevent the filling material from shifting in the completed cushion, and is applied to and around a flange III at one end of the horizontal portion of the casing I0 in the same manner that the lower end of the bag or receptacle I6 is applied to the upper end of the vertical branch II of the casing. This flange is shown as serrated at the top and bottom thereof, as indicated at Hi which serves to prevent the case I! from rotating with respect to the casing IE3.

I8 denotes a sleeve, preferably of cloth, one end of which is provided with an elastic Ill whereby said end may be snugly fitted around a flange Ill at the opposite end of the casing I9. The opposite end of the sleeve is also provided with an elastic I3 the opening being of such size, when the elastic is expanded, that the hand and forearm of the operator may be inserted into the sleeve, the elastic causing the outer end of the sleeve to form a close grip about the operators arm.

A simple, inexpensive and convenient means for insuring a close fit of the receiving end of the cushion case about the flange IIi is by the use of a spring clip I9, similar to the spring clip I5", and the opposed jaws of which grip therebetween the receiving end portion of the cushion case as closely as possible to said flange. The bottom of the bag or receptacle I6 may also be tightly fitted about the flange Ill by the use of a similar clip 20, which is clipped onto the bottom of the bag as closely as possible to the said flange. These clips serve to restrict the openings: in the receiving end of the case I! and the bottom of the bag or receptacle I6 to an extent that will prevent the escape of any of the filling material.

With the parts arranged as described, the operator inserts his hand and forearm as far as may be necessary within the sleeve l8, grasps the material that may be in the casing ID or in the receptacle thereabove and packs the same within the casing I1. As the material within the container l6 may be packed so tightly as not to descend readily into the casing II], he is enabled to reach his hand upwardly, as far as may be necessary, into the said bag or container, take a handful of the material therein and pack the same in proper position in the case I1, repeating the operation of graspingthe material and packing it within the case until the latter shall have been evenly and sufficiently filled.

For the purpose of preventing any material within the case 11 from being withdrawn into the casing Ill, due to the withdrawal of the hand of the operator, a flap valve 2 I, preferably of rubber, is secured to the branch l(l of the casing, the said flap valve normally extending downwardly into engagement with the bottom of the casing and presenting a concave surface toward the body of the casing. This fiap valve normally closes communication between the body of the casing l0 and the neck portion of the same which isprovided with the flange l0. Due to its resilience, because made of material such as rubber,

the lower portion will be swung into the neck to which the case I! is secured when the hand of the operator is inserted into the said case, but will fit more or less snugly about the wrist and arm of the operator as his hand is inserted further into the said case. When the operator is withdrawing his arm, wrist and hand from the case [1, the valve performs a sealing function about these parts and, due to this action and to its shape and. lateral extent, it snaps into closed position as soon as the hand is disengaged from the same, and thereby prevents the material within the case from being drawn into the body of the casing It.

With an apparatus such as shown and described herein, it is possible for an operator to fill the cases for cushions with greater rapidity than can be accomplished by any other apparatus for this purpose with which I am acquainted, and to perform this operation without liability of the filling material escaping into the room or space surrounding the apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An apparatus for the purpose specified comprising a' generally T-shaped casing having opposed branches and an intermediate branch, means. for forming a tight connection between an outlet in a container and the intermediate branch, means for securing a receiving case to one of the opposed branches with the receiving opening of the said case in close engagement with thesaid branch, a sleeve secured to the other of the opposed branches of the casing and adapted to fit snugly about the arm'of an operator, and a resilient flap valve secured to and located within said casing adjacent to the inner end of the branch of the casing to which the case is attached, the said valve adapted to yieldably engage the arm, wrist and hand of the operator while being inserted into and removed from the receiving case and normally closing communication between the body of the casing and the said branch.

2. In the apparatus set forth in claim 1, vertically adjustable means engageable with the closed end portions of containers, the outlets whereof are secured to said intermediate branch of the T-shaped casing whereby the said containers may be supported in a position to facilitate the discharge of the entire contents thereof into the said intermediate branch.

ROBERT W. STAVELY. 

